Flexible infrastructure solutions for data centres

Companies in the data centre sector often require increased storage capacity at short notice, with operators expecting a high level of responsiveness from vendors and contractors. Computer Room Solutions (CRS) is an Australian company involved in the design, development and commissioning of data centre infrastructure.

The contemporary range of CRS racks and cabinets are designed and made in Australia to local and international manufacturing standards. The racks and cabinets are compatible with all standard 19″ servers, UPS units, data storage, back-up devices, environmental and cable management systems.

Most data centres are developed within a building that has already been constructed, or after all the plans have been finalised. CRS works with facilities management staff, builders and contractors to fit the data centre design around existing mechanical, electrical and other services within the structure. The company provides computer-rendered models of all proposed solutions in a variety of formats.

“We want to ensure that every client knows exactly what they are getting so there are no surprises or oversights,” said CRS Managing Director Brendan Dessent, with the models allowing the customer to see exactly how their data centre will fit within the as-built environment.

Each rack or cabinet can be customised with a range of compatible accessories and options to produce individual solutions for each project, or custom designed to suit the requirements of the design brief. Dessent said the company’s racks and cabinets are designed with maximum use and functionality in mind.

“Listening to customer feedback and our own R&D programs, we have developed industry-specific clip-in, or ‘tool-less’, features, such as our vertical 19” rail adjustment, cable management systems, power distribution units and shelving systems,” he said.

The flexibility of the designs allows customers to realise immediate benefits through reduced running costs and also take advantage of improvements to energy efficiency in the long term, thus minimising emissions and reducing cooling and energy costs. The company’s design staff will understand the space, cooling and efficiency issues inside a customer’s data centre, comms room or office.

CRS specialises in hot/cold-aisle containment systems. Installations can be designed and fabricated with or without a raised floor, utilising both in-row coolers and computer room air-conditioning (CRAC) units. CRAC units are replacing standard air conditioning in data centres as they are more dynamic systems that monitor and maintain the temperature, air distribution and humidity instead of just blowing cold air.

According to Dessent, the company has an ability to respond to feedback and current industry requirements, working with clients “to design an appropriate solution that meets their immediate needs but is flexible enough to be as futureproof as possible”.